Electric heater.



H. W. DENHARD.

ELECTRIC HEATER.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 25, 1903.`

938127, Patented oct. 26, 1909.

UNITED sTATEs PAT OFFICE.

I `HARRY W. DENHARD, F SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOIZ. 1 '0 GllOlGrlEl B.

KATZENSTEIN, JR., 0F SANFRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

ELECTRIC HEATER.

Specification of Letters Patent. i

Patented oct. 26, 1909.

.Application led June 25, 1908. Serial No.'440,371. i

San Francisco, in the -county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Heaters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the heating of water, and is designed to provide a heater of simple vand compact construction, adapted to heat the water electrically and utilizing the water or other liquid to furnish the necessary resistance to produce the heat, the water in the heating chamber surrounding the electrodes and forming the connection between the positive and negative electrodes, and in the crossing of the water space or spaces the current heats the water. 'lhis'enables an automatic action to take place without injury to the heater when the water supply is cut off or ceases from any cause, for the reason when there is no water or liquid in the heating chamber the circuit is broken and the heating action ceases. v

The invention is not limited to the particular form of device illustrated in the accompanying drawings, as it is susceptible of many modifications, as will be readily apparent, and the drawings are intended only to illustrate the broad subject matter.

In the drawings,-Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the heater. Fig. 2 is a cross section. Fig. 3 is a detail.

In Fig. 1, an outer inclosing cylinder, preferably of metal shown at 1, is tubular, and 'closed at its ends by caps 2 3 held in glace by scre `s or other sultable fastening evices 4. The cap 2 has a projecting hollow stem 5 having a screw threaded, or other suitable connection with a liquid suply pipe 6. The cap has a post and nuts 7 or the electrical connections and metallic contact is made between this post and thev plate 8, which is provided with sockets or recesses to receive the ends ofl electrodes 9,

v three being shown, though the number ma be increased or diminished, as desire Above the metallic plate 8 is a rubber disk which receives the end of a porcelain cylinder 10, forming the water chamber and providing non-corrosive material so as to prevent any contamination of the water. Precisely the same construction is provided at the opposite end ofthe cylinder except that the electrodes 9, three in number in the drawings, do not extend all the way through, but have their ends seated in pockets 11, of non-conducting material, such as porcelain, while the electrodes extending from the upper end are fitted in like manner to like pockets. The metallic contact plate 8 has a rubber gasket 13 above it anda like gasket 12 below it, so that theplate is insulated above and below. The electrode.support 11 is held in place upon the plate 8 by a screw 14 or other suitable fastening device. passing through the plate and entering the support. This support as has been stated, is composed of non-conducting material, and as show n in Figs. 2 and 3, is rovided with three. openings passing entirely through from top to bottom and three pockets or recesses which pass only artially through. The effect of this is to a low three of. the electrodes to pass through the support to contact with the metallic plate and to enter the recesses therein, while the opposite ends, of these electrodes pass into the pockets of the electrode support and have no connection with the metallic plate at that end. In other words, three of the electrodes` have connection with the metallic plate at one end and three at the other end, while the opposite ends do -not pass all the way through, but are supported in the recesses or pockets.

l The water 'is allowed intothe chamber"I "through the inlet pipe 6 and forms the con-A nection between the electrodes forming a resistance and in the passage of the'current from one set of electrodes to the other the resistance offered by the water generates the heat and the water is thereby heated. Any

number of electrodes may be utilized and these may be placed at any suitable distance apart so as to increase or diminish the resistance. The water passes out through the pipe 15 and the heater may be utilized in connection with a small reservoir of water so as to heat it rapidly /and thus provide a permanent supply of heat and water.

The invention is not limited to the use of the heater for water alone, but may be utilized'for heating any liquid.

The electrodes maybe of any shape.

When water is to be heated to be used for. domestic purposes it is preferred to make the electrodes of carbon, but these electrodes ma be of metal and thus reduce the liability of reakage.

I do not. limit myself to the independent porcelain chamber described and shown, as the same end may be attained by enameling the inside of the metal casing.

What is claimed is l. In an electrical heater, a fluid chamber, a positive electrode therein, one end being supported in electrical connection and the opposite end having an insulated support, a negative electrode having an electrical connection and support at one end and an insulated support for the opposite end, an inlet or outlet for a suitable l1quid,'the said liquid furnishino' the necessary resistance, substantially as described.

2. In an electrical heater, the casing, having its end closed by caps, binding posts .being separated and insulated from each other, and the inlet and outlet for the water, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have allixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses this 12th day of June 1908.

' HARRY W. DENHARD.

Witnesses:

E. E. DOYLE, FRANK L. OWEN. 

